


So Very Dear and Necessary and All Pervading

by dog_loving_goth



Category: Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
Genre: Drabble, Drabble Collection, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Graveyard Picnics, Kissing in the Rain, Literary References, M/M, Poetry, Rants about the thematic elements of Gothic fiction, Tea, Wrestling, father-son bonding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-31
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-09 10:23:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 3,198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11667207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dog_loving_goth/pseuds/dog_loving_goth
Summary: A collection of Hugo/Damien drabbles.





	1. Affection

That morning had been so bright and sunny, a perfect gardening type of day. If perfect tranquility could ever be achieved, Damien believed he’d done it through gardening. Busying himself amongst his many hedges and flowers, he managed to create a quiet headspace full of floriography. Here in his element, Damien could compose paragraphs with bouquets. And he’d been set to make a lovely statement to congratulate Daisy on her recent spelling bee win, when a soft scent drifted by.

_Lilacs._

Damien’s face broke into a thrilled smile. He’d waited so long for his purple lilac tree to bloom, and it had been so incredibly stubborn this year. It was, perhaps, coincidence that the tree sprang to life under such perfect timing, but Damien chose to believe there were good things on the horizon.

A horizon aimed straight into Hugo’s backyard, where Hugo lay on a hammock devouring his latest new read, while Duchess Cordelia ran amok.

As though he knew eyes were on him, Hugo looked up and smiled at Damien. He put the book down and walked to his fence line, careful to avoid the frisbees, rope toys and plastic squeaky ducks that now littered the yard.

“Hey neighbor.”

“Hello, Hugo.” Damien reached for a small set of lilac blooms and plucked them from its panicle on the tree, presenting his gift to Hugo with flourished ease.

Hugo’s smile widened. “Thanks.”

There were a lot of things that went unsaid between them lately. Each time either had tried to quantify it, something had gotten in the way. Now there was nothing but a fence – easily traversable.

“You wouldn’t happen to be trying to tell me something, would you?” Hugo inquired, twirling the stem between his fingers.

Damien plucked the lilacs away expertly, and smiled coyly. “It’s merely a token of my affection.” Tenderly tucking the flowers behind Hugo’s ear, he added, “Though, should there be any reply, I would gladly receive it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Lilacs that are...well...lilac colored, mean having a first flush or feelings of love.  
> **A grouping of lilacs is called a panicle! It's a loose, branching cluster of flowers! I didn't know that before I wrote this little drabble but by gosh I know it now! :)
> 
> If you like my work, consider [buying me a coffee](http://ko-fi.com/dgwritesfic) or follow me [on tumblr](http://dog-loving-goth.tumblr.com/) and say hi!


	2. And That Was The Problem

“Damien! Damien, stop!”

Desperately, Hugo grabbed Damien’s arm and pulled him in.

The rain refused to slow. Neither made motion to move out of it. Damien crushed himself to Hugo’s chest, to the smell of chemical cinnamon and old books. His fingers bunched uselessly in the fabric, and his voice crackled out a quiet plea.

_“Please.”_

Hugo started at the sound.

“Please.” Damien repeated, and forced himself out of Hugo’s embrace. “Allow me to retain some shred of my dignity.” He tugged at his sopping cloak. “Allow me to retreat. We never have to speak of this moment. We can go on as we once were-“

Down a dark alley, in the pouring rain, Hugo cradled Damien’s face in his hands, and kissed him.

They stood in silence, kiss after kiss, hands tangled in hair – two verbose beings reduced to the wordlessness of emotion. When there were words, they were sharp-edged and staccato, like Hugo was struggling to breathe around the confession.

_“I didn’t want to kiss you goodbye…_

_…I wanted to kiss you goodnight.”_

Breathing heavy into the cold air, they both dared to make eye contact. “I should have told you then.” Hugo whispered.

“Yes, perhaps.” Damien acquiesced. “But…I know now.”

Lightly tracing his thumb over Damien’s lips, Hugo stiffened with hesitancy. “I want to kiss you again.” He mumbled, flushing red. “I…realize I didn’t ask you before.”

A low chuckle rumbled up from Damien’s chest. “My dear fri…” he paused, laughing softly at his own faux pas. “My dear…I would love for nothing more.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **aw hell, who cares about conflict, I just wanted an excuse to have them kissing in the rain. :3  
> **more literary reference time! Both the title and the sentence Hugo says about kissing Damien goodnight are from a letter Ernest Hemingway wrote to his ex-wife after seeing her again. It's a lovely piece of writing just on its own merit.  
> **also consent is sexy.
> 
>  
> 
> If you like my work, consider [buying me a coffee](http://ko-fi.com/dgwritesfic) or follow me [on tumblr](http://dog-loving-goth.tumblr.com/) and say hi!


	3. Just A Romance Novel

Hugo picked up a pot of perfectly steeped rooibos.

“Well, you’ve heard all about my day - uneventful as it was. How was yours?”

Across the couch, Damien smiled, placing his teacup on the table for a pour. “Routine, I’m afraid.” He paused thoughtfully. “Although, something did occur precisely five minutes prior to my departure from work - leave a little room, would you, my dear?”

Delicately, Damien plucked two sugar cubes from a small glass dish - one by one - and plopped them into his teacup. “You recall that article I shared with you regarding the sale of a first edition copy of Wuthering Heights?”

“How could I not?” Hugo sighed enviously. “What I wouldn’t give to own a first edition of something.”

Damien chuckled. “One of my highest wishes as well.” He took a sip of his tea. “Continuing on, I made mention of the same article to a colleague today as we were both departing - for the sake of polite, elevator conversation, you understand. And as the doors opened to reveal the level where I had parked my car, my colleague bid me farewell and informed me he had no idea anyone would pay so much for just a romance novel.”

The parlor went silent.

Hugo slowly lowered his teacup and saucer until it hit the table with a resolute _clank_.

“ _Just_ a romance novel?” he repeated in disbelief.

“Mmmhm.” Damien replied, eying Hugo knowingly over the rim of his teacup.

“How?” Hugo began. “It so obviously has the thematic elements of gothic horror! That’s the bigger picture here! Why do people always focus on the romance angle? Heathcliff is obsessed with Catherine-”

And on Hugo went.

In a matter of ten minutes, his diatribe had covered the length of an undergrad dissertation (complete with citations). But Damien didn’t mind. He listened, enraptured, engaged. Hugo was so passionate about literature, and it was a passion they both shared. Damien looked forward to future contemplative discussions and verbose debates as their newly blossoming relationship matured.

“ - filled with water, castles and incest! Am I right?” Hugo had branched out into the general topic of gothic literature, and perhaps would have kept going if he hadn’t realized he’d practically been pacing a hole in the floor. Hugo turned a bright shade of red and quickly slid back into his chair. “That was…probably a little much, huh?” he mumbled, flustered, taking a sip of his lukewarm tea.

“On the contrary,” Damien’s smile could have lit every candle in the room and then some. “If I could have the privilege of hearing to you speak passionately about your interests every day, it would make my life a happy one.”

A doofy smile grew, lopsided, on Hugo’s face. He leaned in, still a little red. “Even my ten part thesis on the importance of obscure Russian novels? Or my play-by-play breakdown of the matches at Wrestlemania III in 1987?”

Damien laughed gently, hand clapped to his chest. “Be still, my heart! I may swoon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **drabble for an anon on tumblr who wanted blushy, flustered Hugo. Tend to think this happens irt things he's passionate about.  
> **a pot of perfectly steeped rooibos tea is delicious. Especially with sugar and cream.  
> **a first edition of Wuthering Heights did actually get sold back in about 2007, for six figures - the owner wanted to pursue a career in art so she sold her copy!  
> **ah, the thematic elements of gothic lit
> 
> If you like my work, consider [buying me a coffee](http://ko-fi.com/dgwritesfic) or follow me [on tumblr](http://dog-loving-goth.tumblr.com/) and say hi!


	4. Enamored Of

“And you have _every_ figurine produced?”

“Not _every_ _one_.” Hugo chuckled anxiously, casting his gaze away from Damien and towards a large mausoleum with an intricately sculpted angel on top.

Their little late-night cemetery picnic had taken a turn Hugo wasn’t sure he’d been ready for. Delighted that his own interests were being shared, Damien had asked Hugo about his. And what had started as Hugo giving a general overview had somehow evolved into an explanation on his hobby of collecting wrestling memorabilia.

“I…hope I’m not boring you.” he admitted nervously.

Wide-eyed, Damien blinked. “Whatever would make you say that?” he asked, confused.

They both stared at each other in unbroken silence, until it finally clicked for Damien, and he exhaled a tiny “ah,” as a frown settled firmly on his face. He hardly needed another reason to be unhappy with how Hugo’s ex-husband had treated him, and yet here it was.

Damien put a hand on Hugo’s shoulder. “Shall I let you in on a secret?” he asked, kind smile quickly returning to his face. “In my parlor is an entire collection of Bruce Springsteen CDs.”

Hugo’s jaw dropped. “You’re kidding.”

“Not in the slightest. If you will permit me, I would be happy to show you sometime.” Damien sipped lightly from his glass of wine. “You should also be aware that I would love more than anything to be taken to the nearest Ikea and allowed to peruse its shelves for as long as possible. I’m quite enamored of storage solutions.”

“How about next Saturday, then?”

Damien’s smile broadened to a grin. “It would be my pleasure.” He leaned in to peck Hugo on the cheek. “Now tell me, Hugo Vega, what else are you enamored of?”

Hugo took Damien’s hand in his own, running his thumb lightly over the knuckles. “You.” he murmured.

And they lay there beneath the stars, nestled against each other on the dark checkered blanket. Talking into the long hours of the morning, they bared their true selves without fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **hey it's end note time!  
> **this was for an anon on tumblr who wanted Damien and Hugo being dorky and showing their other sides to each other.  
> **i'm not saying i'm judging Damien for his taste in music, but i am. who wants to bet he listens to "because the night" on repeat?  
> **gee, i wonder what my opinion on hugo's ex is? i sense a running theme... :)
> 
> If you like my work, consider [buying me a coffee](http://ko-fi.com/dgwritesfic) or follow me [on tumblr](http://dog-loving-goth.tumblr.com/) and say hi!


	5. The Library

As the sun dipped beneath the horizon, the impending evening’s shadows danced on the wall of Damien’s library. In their case, the immaculately pinned specimens of blue morpho winked and glittered with the last rays of sunlight. On a side table shoved into a far back corner, a record player in the shape of a gramophone played a faint tune - its simple melody the only break in a peaceful silence. 

They sprawled on the couch. Their books, long forgotten, rested like small tents on coffee tables and chaise lounges.

Hugo’s tie was missing; his hair was no longer in its messy half-bun.

Damien was sinking into couch cushions; his vest slipped effortlessly to the floor.

They breathed. Rebuilt - made from nothing but warm whispers and toe-curling kisses. Every so often, their eyes would open, their gaze would make contact, and they would simply, softly, laugh. Neither said a word, neither prompted such a response. But somewhere in the spaces between lay the unspoken, unbridled joy.

A quiet freedom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **MAKEOUTS  
> **another anon requested drabble  
> **i'm seriously bummed this was so short...guess i'm just gonna have to write them making out more. oh gee. what a shame. :D
> 
> If you like my work, consider [buying me a coffee](http://ko-fi.com/dgwritesfic) or follow me [on tumblr](http://dog-loving-goth.tumblr.com/) and say hi!


	6. A Boy and His Dog

The slow-moving merger of the Bloodmarch and Vega households had been, to put it kindly, not going so hot. Most of the conflict boiled down to Hugo and Damien’s sons.

Lucien hadn’t minded it all so much, and Damien was proud of him for that. The teen was rather resilient and had once or twice, unprompted, told his dad how glad he was that Hugo had come along.  
  
Ernest, on the other hand, had taken the news well until Lucien started sneezing. In fact, Lucien’s mild allergy to dogs meant that the actual households could not, in fact, _merge_. And this unspoken tension over Ernest’s canine friend had made him angry, bitter, and resentful. A combination which had boiled over at dinner one night some weeks later and resulted in a lot of swearing, yelling, and Ernest storming out of Damien’s house.

“Are we doing the right thing?” Hugo asked quietly as Damien escorted him the several steps back to his home that evening. “I worry we’re being too selfish…trying to do this…”

Damien sighed softly. “Frankly, I’m also quite uncertain.” They stopped in front of Hugo’s front door. “But I’m unwilling to entertain the thought of defeat. There must be a compromise that can be made somehow.” He slid his palm along Hugo’s cheek in a gentle caress, and Hugo turned his head to kiss Damien’s wrist.

“I’ve only been sure of two things in my life. That I love my son, and that I love you.” Hugo murmured against Damien’s smooth skin, feeling the quickening pulse beneath his lips. “You really think we can work as a family?”

“ _I know it._ ” Damien whispered confidently.

They kissed goodnight, and Damien walked back to his own home - but he tossed and turned all night, wondering how he was going to back up his promise of certainty.

Around three-thirty in the morning, something woke Damien from his fitful sleep. He wandered to the window, and was surprised to see Ernest putting the lid back on Hugo’s trash can. Damien’s mouth drew into a thin line as he realized the trash can was incredibly close to Hugo’s fence, deducing Ernest must have knocked it off when he jumped over. Damien had been about to go downstairs (to do what _\- lecture the boy? -_ he wasn’t sure), when he spotted something in Ernest’s hand that made his heart sink. A leash. And no dog.

By the time Damien had thrown appropriate clothes on and gotten into his car, Ernest was already halfway to the end of the main street. Damien could hear him too, softly calling out “ _Duchess! C’mon Duchess Cordelia! Where are you?”_ in a pleading whisper.

“It won’t do just to call her.” Damien advised hesitantly as he approached Ernest. The teenager glared, his face filled with conflicting emotions. On the one hand, Damien had basically been the one to bring the dog to Ernest in the first place. On the other, he and his son could be the ones that resulted in her being taken away entirely. 

“What do you want?” Ernest scowled.

“To help you.”

Damien produced a small baggie of dog treats. “She has several usual haunts, and I know them all. If we’re lucky, we should be able to find her before your father realizes you’re missing.” He patted the passenger side seat and gave Ernest a reassuring smile.

To his surprise, Ernest trudged over to the car, and got in without ceremony.

They drove off in silence, first to the aquarium, then up and down the back alleys and side streets of the main plaza. By the time they pulled up to the bayfront, Ernest had slumped, defeated, into his seat.

“We’re never gonna find her.” The sadness in his voice broke Damien’s heart.

Damien stopped the car along a scenic overlook, and turned to look at Ernest. The teenager was turned away, curled towards the window, huddled into his hoodie, arms crossed over his chest. He looked so very small, and so very sad.

“Guess it doesn’t matter, huh?” Ernest muttered bitterly after a moment of silence. “Probably what you and my dad wanted to happen anyway.”

“ _ **Absolutely not**_.” Damien hadn’t meant to sound so offended, but he had, and it had caught Ernest’s attention.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, and with a heavy sigh, Damien slumped into his own seat. “Ernest…may I be frank with you?”

Ernest shrugged. “Sure.”

“I care about your father a great deal - and I do not say those words lightly. Neither of us are quite certain how to handle the situation at hand _, but we will keep trying_. No one wants to take the Duchess away from you.” Damien turned to look Ernest in the eyes. “I know she is special to you.”

There was a long pause. A careful silence where Ernest seemed to be weighing all possible outcomes. Then, he lowered his head, and hid his face with his hands.

But Damien could still hear him crying.

“It’s just my luck, right? I really like this stupid dog, and then she goes off and _leaves!_ Just like everyone else! Why would she do that?!” Ernest’s head shot up angrily. “At some point, dad is gonna give up on me too. I’m a fuckup. I already know I am!” He shot an accusing glare at Damien. “So why are you being so fucking nice to me?”

Damien blinked for a moment, surprised. He reached into his pocket and offered a handkerchief to Ernest. “Here.” he murmured, and Ernest stared at him with a dumbfounded disbelief.

“You know, you and your father must care a great deal for each other.” Damien mused aloud. “It upsets you both to think the other doesn’t love you.”

Ernest took the handkerchief. “Dad…talks about me to you?”

“We talk about our sons to each other. How much we love them, want to help them, and ultimately wish to remain on good terms with them.” Damien turned to look at Ernest, smiling kindly. “Perhaps you could keep that in mind.”

If Ernest was going to say anything in return, his response was cut short by a loud, muffled _BORF! BORF!_ from outside.

Duchess Cordelia came bounding up to the car, tail wagging, and Ernest’s face brightened like the light of the breaking day in front of them. “ _DUCHESS!”_ he exclaimed, throwing himself from the car to hug the mastiff.

“Don’t forget these!” Damien called out, throwing the bag of dog treats towards Ernest, who gave him a thumbs up.

As Damien watched from his seat, he felt the soft buzz of his phone at his thigh.

**I can’t find Ernest. I think he snuck OUT!!  
**

Stealthily, Damien opened the camera app on his phone and leaned forward just enough to get a good picture to send to Hugo.

A boy and his dog; the bayfront, and the rising sun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **short notes section this time sorry!  
> **this was for an anon on tumblr who wanted either Hugo or Damien bonding with the other's son which i thought was the CUTEST prompt and i'm really glad i got asked to do it!
> 
> If you like my work, consider [buying me a coffee](http://ko-fi.com/dgwritesfic) or follow me [on tumblr](http://dog-loving-goth.tumblr.com/) and say hi!


	7. Finishing Move

Hugo had expected a lot of different reactions.

Laughter. Dismissive hand waving. On-the-fly excuses.

But not the dazzling smile that brightened Damien’s face when Hugo had quietly asked if he’d like to see a wrestling match. 

“Is…is that a-”

“Oh! Most certainly, yes!” Damien exclaimed, and had even pecked Hugo on the cheek with such earnest and sincerity that it was impossible to doubt things would go extraordinarily well. 

At least, until the day of the match. The same nervous jitters fluttered up in Hugo’s stomach as he paced outside Damien’s house, clad in old jeans and a vintage wrestling tee. He had knocked on the door three times already, and hadn’t heard a single sound from the Bloodmarch residence. 

Had Damien…had Damien stood him up?

Hugo ran his hands through his hair, biting down on his lower lip. He paced again, and nervously checked his phone. And as he looked up from the screen, the front door creaked open ever so slightly. Damien peered around almost uncharacteristically shyly, his hair tied back, his glasses perched on the edge of his nose. 

“Hugo I…” his fingers rapped along the edge of the doorframe. “I am uncertain how to dress for a wrestling match.” 

Hugo’s look of worry broke into a relieved smile. “Hey, it’s all right. Just be you. However you want that to be.” he bounded up the steps, taking them two at a time. “Do you want me to help pick something out?” 

Damien’s face brightened. “If you would be so kind.” He stepped back, still hiding ever so slightly behind the door, and allowed Hugo entry. And it was when Hugo had fully closed the door behind him, that he realized it had been a very _very_ clever ruse.

The screenprinted t-shirt screamed “ _J.D. SLAMMENGER_ “ across Damien’s chest, complete with stylized icons of books. 

For a moment, the house was perfectly still. And then Hugo burst into embarrassed laughter. “Where did you get that?” he asked, a shy grin crawling up the side of his face. 

“I had it custom made.” Damien preened, so very pleased that his little joke had gone over so well. “I have it on good authority that if one is a fan of wrestling, they purchase merchandise to reflect it. Now I may be fairly new, but I already have a favorite.”

Hugo’s voice rumbled low and warm as he pulled Damien in for a kiss. “I could show you some new moves after the match if you’d like.”

Damien smiled slyly. “Only if you permit me to try them on you as well.” he purred. 

Hugo felt like all the wind had been knocked out of him. A dopey grin split his features. “That’s…a hell of a finisher.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **you KNOW Damien paid Pablo to make this tshirt at some point. probably made a matching one for Hugo too.  
> **heyyyy wrestling innuendos!  
> **Damien seems like the harmless practical joker type.  
> **this was for an anon on tumblr who requested Hugo taking Damien to a wrestling match!
> 
> If you like my work, consider [buying me a coffee](http://ko-fi.com/dgwritesfic) or follow me [on tumblr](http://dog-loving-goth.tumblr.com/) and say hi!


End file.
